Perhaps you have suffered through opioid addiction. Maybe you know someone who has suffered through it. In both cases, you are definitely aware of how painful and traumatizing an experience opioid withdrawal can be. During this time, a victim suffers from severe bouts of hunger and thirst, but, after drinking water or eating a cracker, this individual will start to vomit uncontrollably. Likewise, the addict will have to endure bouts of diarrhea that are so severe that the victim will have to lie on the bathroom floor in between fits. Even worse, the addict’s mood will change drastically. That is an idea of how bad opioid withdrawal is for an adult. Now imagine how traumatizing that is for an infant. After birth, babies who have been exposed to painkillers (like morphine, codeine, and OxyContin) will suffer from withdrawal within their first 72 hours of life. Let’s take a closer look at the details and find out more.
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Consider that, in 2016, pharmacies in Canada distributed 19 million opioid prescriptions, meaning that 1 in 2 people received these addictive drugs. Likewise, in the province of Ontario, the amount of babies introduced to opioids in utero is 16 times higher than it has ever been before (950 newborns to be exact).
Doctors ultimately refer to this problem as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a heartbreaking problem that will leave the strongest adults feeling helpless. Once symptoms of opioid withdrawal kick in, the babies will begin to cry frantically and suffer from tension throughout their limbs and organs. Besides frequent vomiting and diarrhea, the newborns will sweat, shiver, and shake. Ultimately, they will also experience debilitating seizures that (tragically) could kill them.
Doctor Intervention
Across Canada, doctors have officially listed opioid addiction as a national health emergency. As the number of opioid addicts continues to rise in the North, the need to establish and offer effective rehabilitation options for mothers and newborns has also increased. Currently, women and their babies already have a bad start due to the separation in the hospital. However, based on recent studies, doctors are promoting a new plan where babies stay in private rooms and are given primary care from their mothers.
Always remember that drugs do not have control over your life. You do. Are you suffering from a substance use disorder or a severe form of addiction? Do you have a friend or family member suffering from one or more of these debilitating illnesses? If you do, get in touch with Asana Recovery today. Our counselors and healthcare experts are ready to walk you through every step of the detox and withdrawal process and rehabilitation and guide you towards living a happier, healthier, and freer lifestyle. While the road to recovery might not be an easy road to travel, we promise to help you every step of the way. Take the first step to stay fit, healthy, and safe.
The time for you to take back control of your life is now. If you are interested in one of our residential treatment or supervised detoxification/withdrawal programs, we are ready and waiting to speak with you at your disclosure. Call Asana now at (949) 438-4504 to learn how to overcome your drug abuse or addiction troubles today.
